Darkness
by midnightmuse
Summary: Edwards POV,Bad things are coming for Edward Cullen and hes human, in forks, and hating it. But new arrival Bella seems to attract danger, and the closer she gets to him, the more danger he is in because Bella isnt what she seems and James is in tow.
1. Chapter 1

**None of the Characters belong to me, but are Stephenie Meyer's. This is from a human Edwards POV **

Edward hated mondays, well he hated most days in this grey rain filled town, but monday signalled the return to school, and that really was one torture too far.

He hadnt yet forgiven his foster parents for dragging him to this God-forsaken sodden Hell of small town america, just cos his foster siblings Rose and Emmet couldnt keep their paws off each other and scandalized everyone, so rather than setting them limits, they moved.. hid out in the hills like outlaws.. he hated it

. He still hadnt forgiven them for dragging him out of the gifted programme, the only thing he really had. Now he was in the position of being unforgiven for not forgiving them. Alice was about the only one that was talking to him, and she really wasnt right in the head.

He tuned her out most of the time, but she did insist on chattering on all lunch time, he managed to tune out about every third word; that was as good as it got. So he was reluctantly hearing about some new girl. He felt a pang of something; resentment he decided. It was not as if he actually wanted anyone to notice him and welcome him, but it seemed like the place radiated a fervor for this new girl; he was mildly surprised that Alice was so taken, he decided to torment her about her orientation, that was a two for one, he'd bug Jasper too.. A ghost of a smile haunted his lips, winding Alice and Jasper up was about his only pleasure in life.

He looked up as Alice suddenly squirmed in her seat "She's looking over here" she almost squealed and completely against his will, Edward found he was looking over in the direction Alice was, a dark haired very pale skinned girl with big forelorn brown eyes seemed to be looking directly at him. He noticed she looked about as miserable to be there as he was. For some reason that was a comfort.

About the first this year... and last. He stood and took his tray and the food he'd ignored on it dumped it, and walked ahead of the rush, not that anyone here rushed, to class. He sat, secure in his seat in biology, safe again, no one was going to talk to him, no one sat next to him, he almost relaxed. After all he'd completed this class three years ago, and could do this in his sleep. Which lets face it was what he practically was doing; sleep walking through High school, awaiting the release that had to come some time. They couldnt keep him here for ever, soon he will have served his time for someone elses crime, and he'd escape and his life would begin free of the Cullens, and Forks and he could be free.

He was happily contemplating this, and his default setting of hating most people, so he didnt notice until it was too late, that Bella Swann had been allocated the sacred empty seat beside him, he looked over at her in horror. She swept her hair back, and her warm brown eyes seemed to registar surprise at his apparent hostility. He bet he was the only person, and especially so the only male today, to look less than thrilled to see her. Her lip twitched, but he couldnt decide what emotion her expression was linked to, before she looked down at her folder and a curtain for brown hair seperated them.

That should feel better, it was only when his fingers began to cramp, that he noticed he was gripping the edge of the table. He tried to breathe more calmly, it was only an hour. surely he could survive that. Its not like she was trying to be friendly, it was not like he cared. But he felt slightly sick, as if in an elevator plummeting several floors, he knew he wasnt known for liking people, but this felt distinctly odd. He stole a look in her direction, and felt a cold sweat form on the back of his neck, when he saw she had apparently decided to look at him, at exactly the same time. This fact jarred him, and he almost left the class in panick there and then, he looked at the clock on the wall, counting the minutes until be could escape, He almost ran, as soon as the bell went, it felt hours, and he did run down the corridor, desperate to get to his car and out of there. If anyone asked him, he couldnt tell them what spooked him so much, all he knew was he seemed to come too from it driving at breakneck speed out of town.. he glanced in the rear view mirror, but he already realized the car was empty, hed left the rest of the Cullen siblings, stranded at school. Hell he must have wanted out of there badly.. he drove for about a half hour more, ignoring his cellphones repeated rings. Who ever it was, gave up about ten minutes before he pulled into the layby on some vaguely familiar mountain road.

Not for the first time he wondered what was up with him. Where they right? Should he just suck it up and just settle in here, stop being such a misfit. He sighed, and thought about it, but it was useless, it was not as if, he chose to not fit in. Darkness closed in deceptively quickly as he nursed these thoughts. He stomach rumbled, but he'd rather suffer that discomfort than return home just now. It was not as if he didnt do this; disappear when things got too much. No one would be hunting for him, in fact he was pretty sure they would be relieved he was gone for the night. That always made him wonder, its not as if he kicked up a stink, and yelled or manipulated like the others, but he seemed the one they were grateful for a break from. It was somethings in his bones, his real mother had told him; 'bad blood' was the other one.. (though seemed she was the one with the bad blood, dying off some illness in it. ) Not that that made for sympathy, nor made him want it. All in all it seemed he was just odd enough to put make people ill at ease. So maybe it was not a surprise he preferred not to mix with them.

He often thought it wouldnt really take much for them to think he was some kind of monster. The cliched troubled loner, that just snapped with some random blood-lust, and slaughtered anyone that crossed his path. He felt more troubled by that than he expected. Was he really heading that way.. he wondered. He felt uneasy, it wasnt helped by the fact that he thought he heard something moving about outside during the night, near the car, close but wary, it almost seemed.

He reminded himself not to be so stupid, he wasnt some monster, and no monsters were lurking in the dark stalking him, the thought made him laugh. It sounded strange in the silence of the night.

He was being an idiot, especially for someone so bright, he started his car and turned the headlights on. Something definately darted swiftly into the shadows away from the light, or he could be a jumpy child scared of the dark, ironic, that he seemed to react that way, only on turning on his headlights.

He decided to head back to the Cullens house, he was loathed to call that souless place home, but it was a lot more comfortable than a car seat all night, without heating.

Something that preferred to cling to the darkness trailed him back there, his scent clear for it above the manmade and petrol scents. The darkness seemed to stalk his car, as he drove home, studiously filling his head with rational reasons to grit his teeth and wait this out; graduation wasnt far off.

After all how bad could it be.. the worst Forks seemed to offer was being unspeakably dull, and there was the chance of seeing those warm brown eyes again. The thought seemed to be alien to him, it shocked him, that it was even there in his head.. It wasnt even as if he liked Bella Swann


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own any of these characters. Stephenie Meyer does. From a Human Edward POV **

Breakfast would have been a silent affair, but Alice was rambling on about some designer and the shirt he had on; did she really think he cared less about stuff like that? But Alice was deeply addicted to clothes and shopping, and it was an addiction that spread beyond her own wardrobe, so he had a lot of shirts with designer labels he couldnt pronounce, and that seemed; in Alices mind at least, to translate to: he had to listen to this kinda bull about seasons and colours and retro.. he didnt even want to know what she was getting so excited about, to him it was a grey shirt, the only one not on his floor in need of a wash.. to her it was Charcoal and some Italian sounding guy was somehow relevant. Whatever it seemed to cheer her up for some reason that he wore it. He vaguely remembered she had bought it recently, and had she seemed especially excited about getting it. He didnt remember, he didnt really pay a lot of attention, I mean it was clothes, and Alice, she was practically the clothes fairy of the family, or gnome or some other shortass thing. He smiled over at her, ok he kinda liked the insane sibling type creature she was. She seemed determinedly cheery, and not in that annoying, want to put a bullet in your head; Pollyanna way. But in a way that almost made him feel cheerful. If that was possible in this place; which of course it wasnt.

One of the reasons why sidled past, Rosalie seemed to think she was irresistably desirable to anything with a Y chromosone, and took it as a personal insult that he had never hit on her. He'd rather hack off his own leg, but it was safer not to tell her that, as he got the distinct impression that she would happily remove both legs, and anything between them, at such an insult. He was sure his ability to resist her, and a lack of a girlfriend, had her convinced he was gay. that was probably the only way that scenario made sense to her. He half wondered if that was why Alice kept trying to get him to come on shopping trips with her too... but his mind was wandering.

He looked up and saw Rosalie still glaring, ok he wasnt forgiven for leaving her, and the others, stranded at school.. what a field day she would have if she knew he had really run away cos the nasty girl scared him, not that Bella was nasty. He had a horrible feeling just thinking this would make her able to read his thoughts, so he tried to find his backpack endlessly fascinating, until Alice grabbed his arm and dragged him to Rosalie's flashy car, she didnt trust him to drive... figured.

Flashy equalled attention, and he wished he wasnt in it ten thousand times before getting to school. When there he realized it made him all but invisable, the car and Rosalie were suddenly all anyone was paying attention to, he could live with that, it was with some relief he headed into school, he strolled up the path to get to class only to see his way blocked by teenage boys. Stuck looking harrased by them was the new girl; Bella. He glanced at her as he did a slight detour to get around her fans, she seemed to give him a pleading glance for rescue. He looked back at her, confused by that, to see her slipping away from her fans and head hurriedly in his direction.

He reminded himself it was not 'his' direction, but the class they were going to's direction. Maybe stupid was infectious, he had been standing close to that dumb ox Mike. Either way she soon walking into biology practically side by side with him, and for an insane instant he got the strangest impression she expected him to pull out her chair politely for her. He looked confused at the random thought, seeing she was sitting with a bemused look on her face, as he still stood. He was in his chair fast, and trying to focus on what the lesson was about. Onions, apparently, cry me a river. This was so dull. He picked up a slide, and loaded it in the microscope, then he nearly hit heads with her, as they both made to look at it.. "Sorry" he automatically said,while he thought it really wasnt his fault.

Bella smiled slightly and looked at the slide, in seconds identifying it, Edward felt a smile tugging at his lips, bright, suddenly her looking like she hated the place made sense. She passed the microscope over to him after delicately placing another slide in it. Now why did he notice that, rather than that it was , say, expertly done, why did he notice the most feminine aspect of it... Maybe cos your not gay.. his Y chromosone pointed out, disgruntledly. Though he was sure she didnt need another recruit to her growing harem. He decided to look at the slide, he immeadiately said what it was, he looked up at her, wondering if her smile was just because at his speed at this. They worked together, the only words exchanged were the type of root on the slides, but it felt oddly friendly, he missed working with someone at school. He jumped when the bell rang, for once the lesson sped past, and he'd almost enjoyed it.

"Nice shirt" Bella said as they packed the equipment away. He looked like he'd suddenly been labotomized

"What?" he managed to say..mentally kicking himself... real smooth.

"Nice shirt, did your sister pick it?" she said "I like her; Alice I mean" she clarified

"Well I'd not think you meant Rosalie" He said, sounding far too bitter, and wondering why he cared about what he sounded like to her

"Well no, but shes, got a lot to deal with, not being center of attention, you've mortally offended her" she said

Edward, tried to not look too confused, Alice must have made friends with her, unbeknown to him. "Well then your not going to be real popular with her either then, I cant remember anyone creating a stir like your arrival has, so many hormonal admirers" he said with a grin

"Oh she can have them, Id happily give her them all, if only it was in my power. They are.. well upsetting, they never take no for an answer. " she said

"Must be tough" Edward said wryly, as he headed for the door

"So how did you manageit; tha anominity.. a good looking guy like you?" she said with a similar smile on her lips.

Edward could have walked into a lampost and not noticed, the way his feet slammed on the brakes with out him even noticing. Bella took three more steps befoire turning around, and she waved her hand in front of his face ""Breathe, its a compliment, they arent fatal" she joked

"Rare though" he mumbled

"Well thats the point, I thought go to the source for my dilemma, find out how the best looking guy in the school makes himself invisible, and yes I mean you, you do have mirrors in your house, I assume, I dont think Rosalie would live in a place with out plenty" she quipped

"Yeah.. she cant walk past a reflective surface.. or particularly shiny things.. on a rainy day, the pudsdles confuse her, she cant decide which direction to head in" he replied

"your distracting, well, but all the same, how do you do it?" Bella said

"Well first I think your assessment is off"

"Unless Rosalie's right about you, trust me your not going to notice how pretty the boys are, I should challenge you to tell me who is if not you?" she challenged with a grin

"Um.. Mike" Edward grabbed a name.. and felt stupid

"Nope.. see so manly.. " she observed, with a chuckle "So how do you do it?" she pressed him for the answer, but in such a nice way, the words putty, and , in her hands.. floated around his brain

"I just dont talk to people, they leave me alone" he said "No real plan I just an naturally unlikable" he said with a slight smile

"your talking to me, why is that?" she mused

Edward shrugged "well I didnt say I was rude" was the best he could come up with.

Bella smiled "No, your not that" she said "But you are Strange, and probably the most fascinating person here, because of it" she said

"I think I will take that as some kind of compliment" he said

"Good" Bella said "now can I be very bold, can I ask you to walk me to gym, Mike is lurking at the door and I really cant bear it " she said, a sweet pleading tone in her voice.. "I am preyign on your 'not rude' trait" she added

"Well.. it'll probably ruin my reputation with rosalie" he pretended to ponder

"There is that advantage too; think how that will annoy her.. you, the only red blooded male able to totally resist her" she said linking her arm with his

Edward looked into those warm brown eyes "and all for the price of not being able to resist you?" he smiled a crooked smile, that put a smile on her face too

"I know.. think of the delicious irony of it" she said as they walked to gym


	3. Chapter 3

**These characters dont belong to me; they are Stephenie Meyers, from a Human Edwards POV **

I had to admit I got a kick out of walking Bella to the gym, not just her company, which was surprisingly good; she was funny. I liked her dry sarcastic sense of humour, she could make me , of all people, crack a smile, hell she made even me laugh. I already knew those eyes got to me, those warm brown eyes against her pale , pale skin. It was made all the sweeter for Mike's glower at me, I mean if looks could kill, I'd be a walking corpse.

Bella squeezed my arm, in what I took as gratitude for saving her from Mike's latest efforts, and she actually asked me to meet her after gym, as it was the last lesson of the day, and to save her again, by walking her to her car. Well who knew I had a chivalrous side, but some protective urge answered for me, anyway it was that or have Rosalie glare at me all the way to the car, and since she would be doing that most of the drive home, I figured both Bella and I deserved protecting

So thats how it was I found myself leaning against the wall waiting for her to get out of gym class. The smile she gave me made it feel all worthwhile, and she slipped her arm into mine as we walked to the carpark. I shook myself, I was enjoying this too much, I was going native, mind you Bella wasnt really a native. Ok her Dad was the police chief, but she hadnt been here for most of her life, not at all in the time I'd been sentenced to the place. The way she chatted as we walked to the carpark,felt like we were co-conspirators, us against Forks. Id almost forgotten I could smile and enjoy someones company.

Course it was raining, that was just a redundant phrase in this town, it was just like saying 'this is Forks'. so we splashed through the puddles to her old truck that was parked out nearer the road, and Bella was joking it really needed an outboard motor on it rather than an engine, as she turned to unlock the drivers door, when I spotted a movement out of the corner of my eye. It took a second for my brain to catch up with my senses, movement wasnt unusual, everyone was leaving school, kids and cars all over, but this was wrong, I knew more from the lurch in the pit of my stomach than what I realized I saw, I dragged my eyes to see, a car over the other side of the highway was spinning in a skid, graceful and ugly all at once. My jaw dropped as I saw it slide towards us, well my brain didnt say us, it screamed her. I didnt think, I grabbed her, if there was time I am sure I would have said sorry for being so rude. I lunged so she was against my chest, and we landed with a jarring crunch on the ground, the car, slammed into her truck door, and there was that sickening metal grinding noise and fire in my leg.

The car's wheels spun muddy water over us,well me mainly and sped off.. The world seemed as if it had been muffled, there still was noise, it sounded like there was shouting, but I couldnt really hear it, my leg burned and Bella was shaking my arm, she looked worried, and she was talking to me, I realized.

As soon as my brain processed that, the sound crashed in, as if a damn was bursting and I heard Bellas voice, asking me if I was ok, she sounded pretty worried, and stunned, she kept saying I'd saved her. I didnt feel much of a hero with my leg all busted up,seemed her wingmirror was smashed and a pretty big shard of the mirror had sliced into my calf. It also seems Bella hates blood,even the smell makes her almost faint. So she wouldnt look at it, she just looked into my face, my eyes and I think she was trying to distract us both. With those eyes, it worked

It was more embaressing when our respective Dads turned up, neither of us could tell her Dad any details about the car, that had made a hasty exit, I couldnt tell him if it was grey or blue, and Bella never even saw it.

My foster father, seemed more surprised I had been with someone, talking and such, than that a car hit me. I had a pretty bad gash in my leg, but he seemed to think a few stiches would fix that all up, so it was a trip to the hospital, Bella had cracked her head as we fell, it seemed fine, she insisted it was, but these things need checking. So we all headed to A&E. she was checked out, and my foster father put ten stiches in my leg, I'd say it was gonna hurt like a bitch in the morning, but it was doing that already. Carlise muttered a bit as he fixed me up, that wasnt a surprise, but what seemed most uncomfortable was the way Bella looked at me, like I was wanted, and I dont mean how her Dad might mean it, she seemed to like what I had done, even if I was so bad at the hero act I had ended up in hospital.

In fact, for some perverse reason, that seemed to make it mean more to her. I reminded myself, and her, she had hit her head pretty hard,. She insisted it wasnt for any silly reason like that, so for the third time that day, she linked arms with me, and we walked from the hospital. Well I hobbled, more than walked. As her Dad was bringing his car around for her, she leaned in closer to me and kissed me, ok it was just on my cheek, well she hadnt hit her head that hard! She then said to meet her in the carpark before school. I diagnosed concussion must be setting in for her, she laughed and her Dad arrived.

My dear foster father gave me twenty dollars for a taxi, he was working. So I travelled alone, back to a souless house and swallowed some painkillers and crawled into bed. The rain turned into a storm in the night, and whether it was that, or my leg hurting worse probably both, I didnt sleep to well. No one checked on me, I was relieved really. I couldnt deal with them and my leg.

I woke a few times, in a cold sweat, having dreamed of cars hitting me, and slicing me clean in half. Freud would have a field day. Me I put it down to general restlessness and knowing I was never going to be the hero in this story


	4. Chapter 4

**none of the characters are mine, they are Stephenie Mayers. There will be more action soon... reviews welcome**

Edward hobbled down to breakfast, Rosalie bumped into him a few times more than seemed accidental. Edward wasnt sure what her problem was this time, but his patience was wearing thin, but Carlise made clear that Edward's injury meant his car was taken away for a few days, so all in all he was feeling pretty much the villian of the piece rather than the reality; that he'd done something, if not heroic; it was not as if any conscious thought into it, it wasnt certainly wasnt a crime.

So for the second day, Rosalie was driving them to school, she seemed pleased, she liked being in charge. When Edward was done pushing cereal around his bowl, she grabbed his arm and said "Come on cripple, time to go.. " Her tone seemed an accusation, like she wanted to say something about Bella, but wasnt sure what. It wasnt like there was a lot to talk about. He had just walked her to and from a few lessons. His company wasnt even the main motive, wouldnt Rosalie love to hear that. He guessed as much as he didnt like to think it. Bella was all too easy to like, not least because she seemed not to know she was likable. He tried to compare her horror at being popular with the boys, with someone like Rosalies reaction to that same situation. Bella wanted it to disappear, and Rosalie wanted more. She wanted him as a tame little devotee too, not cos she liked him, he was sure, but rather as she thought he was pretty, and a nice shiny trinket for her collection. He sometimes wondered how many of those she had, and how close to home, she seemed to wrap Carlise around her little finger,. she also took Edwards revulsion as a challenge, that bothered him, because that couldnt end well. He was mentally counting of the weeks until graduation and freedom from that. He was out of here before the mortar board hats hit the ground.

He limped out to the car, and to his horror he had to sit in the front next to a very smug looking Rosalie. He always avoided that as often as he could; there was a reason he volunteered to drive for everyone, and Rosalie's inability to change gear was it. No it wasnt that she made a wet- dream of a car make horrific crunching sounds metal screaming its protests,. No, she was actually a very good driver, her problem was her hand tended to wander, and stroke any male thigh that occupied the seat next to her next to her. He _really_ didnt like when she did that to him. He sat as far away from her as possible, and Rosalie seemed to smirk at his reaction,

She was definately not sisterly, but as she often reminded him, as she wandered around the house in little more than her underwear , even his own bedroom as he hid away, she was not his sister. He tried not to think about her, though he was intensely aware of her hand hovering too close to his thigh. He edged closer to the car door, he was sure Rosalie laughed at that. He clenched his teeth, and willed them to be in the school carpark.

After far too long, and too much of Rosalie's attenton, they pulled into a parking space. There were ones far closer to the school, but Rosalie seemed oddly protective of her car. Or maybe it was just to make him limp further, she was that vindictive. He sighed and got out of the car, Rosalie was already out, smiling at him asking if he needed any help, she didnt make it an innocent sounding offer. He shuddered and walked off as best he could without her kind brand of help "If you prefer the boys can help, Emmets so big and strong, I am sure he can handle you" she said, making it sound smuttier by the minute. He tried to ignore her laugh, at her latest suggestion, and just limp towards class, head down.

So he almost jumped out of his skin when someone took his arm "Oh Bella! ''He said with relief.

"You looked miles away, you hadnt forgotten you promised to save me from the hordes?" she asked, tilting her head in Mike and the rests, direction , where they waited to ambush her on the way to class.

"No, of course not, escape was on my mind anyway" he said. Bella smiled, a smile he found as nice as he found her eyes,

"Well lets escape them together" she said. "So what are you escaping from?" she asked looking back the way he had come

"So called family" he muttered. Bella looked more thoughtfully at Rosalie

"Oh I see" she said, in a tone, that made him think she really did. She shook the idea off more easily than Edward, and asked him how his leg was, she seemed uneasy even upset he had got hurt, in a way, that made him feel that at least one person in the world cared that some random car had almost turned him into a greasy stain on the pavement. Bella even leaned into him, as they walked, and never looked in the direction of Mike, or Eric, " I will see you in Biology" she said giving him a smile that could melt a rock, and she strolled off... leaving Edward trying unsuccessfully to remind himself she was only doing this to avoid male attention, not to add his to the list, still, he couldnt help looking forward to all off the first lesson he had. So much so, he found he hadnt taken in a single thing in the lesson, and he bolted for the door, ignoring his legs protests.

Of Course Mike had got there first, and Edward grinned at the bored , pained look on her face, as Mike was talking at her. "Oh Edward" she said moving to him, swiftly "Let me help, its the very least I can do" she almost purred, and despite, being sure this display was purely for Mike's benefit, he probably looked like the cat who'd got the cream. So they walked arm in arm to class. At one point she leaned so close that her breath was warm on his neck "You should see the looks I am getting Edward Cullen, I am making all the girls so jealous" She seemed to find his look of confusion funny "you dont know how much the girls like you, do you?" she said.. she laughed at the confused look on his face "I will take that as a no" she added, with a chuckle as they got into class.

Edward felt her words as a jolt, did that mean she liked him? He knew she hadnt said that, but he found himself hoping, it meant something like that, as she walked with him to their desk, her arm still in his. 'Their desk' he caught himself sounding like some kid with a crush, even worse, he realized as he sat down, he felt like one.. He could just imagine what the likes of Rosalie would make of that, he'd never live it down


	5. Chapter 5

**None of the characters are mine, and Edward is human. Reviews welcome**

Blood was the problem.

Edward had seen how badly Bella had reacted to it before, but he had no idea how much worse she usually was with it. A Biology class where everyone had to prick their fingers and collect the blood, was obviously her own personal hell. Edward had never seen anyone actually turn green before. She looked like she was going to pass out as she grabbed at his hand as the sterile lance in it was getting too close to his thumb, and begged him not not to do it , not more of his blood.

Mike let out an insensitive laugh as Bella swayed in her seat, and the teacher groaned "There is always one" he muttered. "Cullen take her to the nurse" he instructed.

So it was Edward found himself cast in the role of rescuer that he remotely objected. Edward put his arm around her, and she leaned on him for support as they headed out of class.

Being away from the actual blood seemed to do little to help, and she seemed to sway more dangerously. Edward caught her tighted and lifted her in his arms "I can still smell it" she moaned

"I didnt think people could actually smell blood " Edward said as he walked down the hall with her head against his chest

"I can, thats what makes me feel so sick " she said wrapping her arms around his neck "This is so embaressing, I am SO sorry'' she groaned.

Edward thought for a moment she was actually going to throw up, so they paused at a bench outside for a minute or two

"Nothing to be sorry for" he said gently, sweeping her hair back from her sickly pale face

"Oh there is, poor Edward, you didnt ask to be landed with me and the trouble I seem to have in tow" she looked at him with real compassion and stroked his cheek. She gasped as electricity sparked between them,. He got the distinct impression that if she didnt look as if she was going to throw up immenantly she would have actually kissed him, and that electricity, did things to him, that meant he was willing to risk it. "Edward, your such a strange one.. but I am glad your the one that saved me again" she said wrapping her arms around him again and resting her head on his shoulder "Is it ok if we stay here a while?" she whispered

"Oh its.. fine" he said in a strangled tone, it felt perfect, she had really got to him fast. "But for your sake lets not go for three rescues" he smiled.

"Well knowing me I cant make a promise, since I seem to have the ability of falling on a level surface " she smiled weakly "Of attracting bad things to me" she rested her hand on his "And it would be a shame if you got hurt saving me over it" she said

"I might take the risk" he said

"I might like it if you do," she seemed to get lost in his eyes for a moment, and then, almost as if deciding something unspoken she suddenly said "I think I will get you in no end of trouble if we dont turn up to the nurse soon, not that the smell in there is that much better" she said, standing wobbily,

Edward moved to support her and they walked to the office. He tensed as someone with a bloodied nose was hurried in, Edward moved her out of the way, and hurriedly told the office what the problem was, and arranged to drive her home, away from the blood.

She leaned on him all the way to her truck and she thanked him again. He smiled "Really Bella its my pleasure" he said

So that was how he drove her home, her resting her head on his shoulder, and he thought how much nicer this felt than his earlier car journey, he drove carefully to not make her feel worse, and parked up on the road outside her house. She looked so vunerable and pale still he actually walked around to open her passenger doot and wrapped his arms around her, it was strange how fast she felt like she fitted right there, especially when she sighed happily.

She needed his support all the way to the door, and she hesitantly asked if he would help her inside, it was only in the hallway, that she hesitantly added the request of helping up to her bedroom. She looked so helpless he couldnt refuse. He helped her to the bed, and she sank onto it with a grateful sigh "Edward your so, lovely to me" she said, she sounded half asleep.

Edward felt as if a wrecking ball had hit him in the chest, but in a good way. It struck him as strange, two years he'd avoided feeling anything about anyone here and two days and Bella Swann had him feeling, he really shouldnt think about what she had him feeling, in her room like this

"I should go.. if your.. your alright now?" he managed to say, cursing himself for sounding like an idiot. She seemed to come to a little more and looked over at him, slightly questioningly, probably wondering why he was still there, he guessed.

"Of course, you going to rescue me tomorrow.. again please? From Mike and all of them?" she asked, she sounded so upset at the idea of being left alone to cope with them Edward was at her side , sitting next to her on the bed in a second

"Of course I will Bella, whenever you need me" he said, mental forehead slap, at how lame he sounded. But luckily she didnt seem to notice . Instead she sat up, leaning against his chest for support and kissed him very gently on the lips

"I will need you" she assured him. she swayed slightly as Edward hurriedly stood

"Well I will see you same time and place" he said, sure he was doing something cringeworthy like blushing, he escaped as fast as he could, taking the stairs two at a time and acting as if air only existed once he got outside that house. Then he concentrated on what terrible impression he must have left her with. He groaned loudly

He also realized he was stuck outside her house without a lift home, he called Alice. Who else would he call, certainly not Rosalie. Alice wasnt tmuch of a better choice, she asked endless questions about why he wasnt in school, and what had happened with Bella. Edward gritted his teeth, he tried to ignore her. H got so desperate for a distraction that he even half invented a grey rather beat up car following them out of town, but it swept past them as Alice signalled to head into their concealled driveway. Alice however was relentless. She was still quizzing him, about it all when they got in, he snapped that he'd already answered three times already. not a good move, that just attracted Rosalies attention; like blood in the water, both of them questioned him, did he like Bella? What had happened? Was he dating her now? Rosalie sounding angry the more she asked, as if it was a personal insult if he talked to a girl

Edward escaped to his room and locked his door, he restlessly paced his room, he didnt want to question himself as endlessly as Alice and Rosalie had, so he sat and listened to the rain, and someone moving beneath his window. Far too late he crawled into bed, sleeping restlessly.

This time his dreams had Bella in his room, questioning him, only this time it was about why he didnt like her, rather than all the other questions that night about how much he did. He had no answer, even in his dream, to the wrong question from her . He also seemed unable to warn her of the shadowy figure behind her all he could make out was its red eyes as it moved closer to her.


	6. Chapter 6

**No characters belong to me **

Edward made sure he sat in the back of Rosalies car, ok it was cramped, no leg room, but at least that was all that was happening to his legs. Anyway Emmet was enjoying the experience that the front seat offered a lot more than he ever would. All the same he wished he could rip his eyes out and ears off, Emmet was being slightly vocal about it all.

He looked everywhere but the inside of the car, and thats when he noticed the grey beat up car again. Maybe it was his trying to focus on anything other than Emmets sexual gratification, but he got the strange idea it was the same car that almost hit Bella, and that for some reason it was following him. Even though it was probably rubbish, it sent a cold chill through him. So when they pulled into the school he made a point of watching where it headed for as it passed them, it turned down the next sidestreet after the school, one that was a dead end. He felt even more uneasy, and he struggled out of the car, ignoring his legs protests. It hurt like hell, it felt some of the stitches had torn, but he wanted to get away from these thoughts, he strode off with a slight limp over to Bella

A slight frown crossed her face as she approached, after a second he realized it probably was echoing his own. "Whats wrong?" Bella said taking his arm, she winced a little "You should be more careful about your leg" she said looking down at it

"I am fine" he lied, "Reporting for rescue duty" he quipped"

"I wasnt quite sure you wanted that duty still; the way you rushed away yesterdy" she said, a slight pout forming, he usually hated pouts and the kinds of girls that had them, but somehow it was different on her

"I didnt mean to be rude" he swiftly said, as she linked their arms

"Well you can buy me lunch to make up for it" she teased.

"Id really like that" he admitted, that seemed to put a smile back on Bella's seemed to lean in closer to him that was absolutely neccersary to convince Mike that she wasnt free to walk with. He wasnt exactly complaining, she seemed to slip under his defences, ones that had served him really well, for far longer than the two years they had been in Forks. He wondered how she did that so easily. He was still pondering this mystery, with its cause pressed against his side, when they walked into their Biology class, she smiled at him, as she sat and slipped her hand into his under the desk. He jumped as she did this, that compelling electricity flaring between them, and for a second he almost believed that it had also fused the lights as the room went dark, He was glad she couldnt see his face as he almost blushed at that stupid reaction, as a video started, he couldnt focus on it, the sense of her next to him in the dark was so powerful. He found it hard to breathe as he became intensely physically aware of her, and the desire for her that seeped through him. He didnt want the film to end.

But eventually it did, he glanced over at her as the lights came on, and her eyes seemed to burn for him too. The class left, and all Edward could think of was her, it was the most exquiste torture.

Bella leaned closer to him and said "How hungry are you?.. Lets ditch " she quickly kissed him, and he'd agree to anything. He nodded because speech was beyond him. They strolled through the now empty corridor and sneaked off to her truck. She breathlessly smiled at him "So where is a good place to hide out for the afternoon?" she said "Somewhere quiet and peaceful and where I get you to myself" she said. To say Edward was surprised by her wanting that, was an understatement, but he told her off a trail to a meadow he liked up off the one oh one, he wasnt sure if that was the kind of thing she meant, but she seemed to love the idea and she drove off to it, not too swiftly, her truck wasnt able to go anywhere swiftly. But along the way, she rested her hand on his leg, and that electricity did strange things to his mind.

She parked up where the road ended and the trail started, there were a few cars already there, and he asked her if her Dad would hear of her ditching school, she laughed and said he wouldnt notice anything, he never did. They walked past another grey beat up car, that he assumed was the same one, he commented on everyone in thos place having a grey beat up car, either that or someone was so good at following him, they were now getting there first. Bella smiled and said if he got anymore conspiracy theory he'd start fitting in here, "you wouldnt believe the things they do believe here, but none were so far car related, more monsters, shapeshifting wolf men destined to hunt vampires" she said "Horrible stuff" she said hugging him close.

"Well it'd be terrible if it was real" he agreed, as they headed for the meadow he'd told her about. He wasnt really one for horror stories, but he liked how she pressed herself closer to him as she told him the local myths about werewolves, which she seemed to find much scarier than vampires, which she seemed to find a far more romantic myth. All the same she got so close she was lying on his chest as they lay in the meadow, she stroked his hair out of his face and looked thoughtful "Your a strange one Edward Cullen, I really dont know how you feel about me" she said "But I will tell myself you at least liked me enough to bring me out here with the plan to be alone with me" she said, as she moved to kiss him slowly. Edward wrapped his arms around her and kissed her more passionately.

When Bella came up for air again she was smiling in a way that got his pulse racing. "Well that makes me think you like me a little" she murmured. "and you know what; I like that" she said moving to kiss him again

His senses were filled with the feel of her lips, the almost criminal thing her tongue was doing, and the feel of her body against his.. he was only human and as such nothing else existed for him

Unfortunately things other than human did exist and were moving silently through the woods and into the clearing, James had been in Forks hunting with his partner for a while now, and he was both hungry and greedy, living forever meant there was a lot of things even a non-human needed. That was true to him even if food was free, and hunting it an entertainment, but he was prepared to be inventive, and a rich red blooded male out in the woods was very much a business lunch. Edward was food and a source of income, a kidnap plot, wasnt his idea, but he wasnt adverse to playing with his food, and his mate was nearby.. but he wasnt prepared to wait for her to be ready. He strode into the meadow, his eyes dark, "Well well" he hissed "didnt anyone tell you its dangerous in the woods, Hunters might mistake you for their prey" He moved with inhuman speed over to Edward and pulled him off the floor with one hand, hissing in his face, as he moved to bite his jugular.

Edwards world stood still, James filled a huge part of it, fear for Bella's fate after his life was wiped out loomed as large. Then all he knew was James was suddenly very gone and trees the other side of the clearing were cracking and breaking, James not quite broken with them. Edward was in a nightmare, and he somehow turned to see what had attacked James, fear making his heart race.

"My your so delicious with all that blood pumping all the faster" Bella purred "And your blood smells so good, but I think I want you alive a little longer, my fascinating Edward, so pretty and resistant to my charms.. why do I like you all the more for that" she said, moving towards him, while James stood and started to return to them "Well not totally resistant, and not totally free" she glared at James "No killing him.. yet" she said stroking Edwards cheek "This one has more potential, he needs to be alive for the ransom, and I havent decided what else he is going to be" she said "So no feeding, go find a hiker, I am taking him from here, I dont quite trust you with him" she said "James gets so jealous, " she sighed "It gets tiresome" she confided in Edward, as she took his hand and kissed his cheek "this would be a lot simpler if you didnt smell so delicious Edward" she sighed


End file.
